Perfect for Hatsumode in the Year of the Dragon! Three shrines in Tachikawa that are associated with dragons.

2024 is the Year of the Dragon. Although the dragon is the only imaginary animal in the Japanese zodiac, there are many places related to dragons in Japan, because people have worshipped dragons as gods since ancient times. In this issue, we will introduce shrines associated with dragons. There are several large shrines related to dragons in the Tachikawa area, making it a perfect place to visit for Hatsumode. The dragon god is also said to be a creature of good luck, so let’s pay a visit to the shrine and improve your luck!

Ookunitama Shrine, one of the five Shinto shrines in Tokyo.

Ookunitama Shrine enshrines Ookunitama-no-Ookami as the guardian deity. This shrine is one of the five Shinto shrines in Tokyo and has a long history. On the first three days of the New Year, the shrine is full of energy because of many food stores and many people. The place related to dragons is the “Suijinjya” located on the east side of the main shrine. Many visitors come to this place, where underground water is pumped up from a deep well. This underground water is said to be sacred water that is protected by the dragon god, so it may bring good luck. It is also said that dragon deities appear in the sky above the shrine, and strange things often happen, such as seeing a cloud with the image of a dragon deity in a photo taken casually. It is said that meeting the Dragon God will bring you good luck, so pay attention to the sky as well.

Address	3-1 Miyamachi, Fuchu city, Tokyo
Access	5 min. walk from JR Fuchu Honmachi Sta. This station is 12 min. from JR Tachikawa Sta. the closest station to Tachikawa Washington Hotel.
URL	https://www.ookunitamajinja.or.jp/

Suwa Shrine, where enshrines Takeminakata-no-kami, a god who is said to have been a dragon incarnate.

This shrine is a branch of Suwa-Taisha Shrine in Nagano. The shrine enshrines Takeminakata-no-kami, the god of hunting and agriculture as well as the god of war, and is said to be beneficial for prosperous business and prayers for victory. The god has many aspects as a deity from myths and stories passed down through the ages in the Suwa region of Nagano, and some people believe that he was actually a dragon god in his original form. It is said that receiving the blessing of the dragon god will bring you strong luck, so paying a visit to the shrine at the beginning of the year may bring you a good year. There is also a rare deity called “God of Eyes” in the precincts of the shrine. If you overwork your eyes on a daily basis, why not visit to pray for the health of your eyes?

Address	5-12-19 Shiraitodai, Fuchu City, Tokyo
Access	9 min. walk from Tachikawa Washington Hotel.
URL	https://kokuryo-jinja.jp/kenmu/hachiman-jinja/suwa-jinja/

Tanashi Shrine, five dragons are enshrined and it is known as one of the best sacred places in Japan.

Tanashi Shrine, a shrine with a long history, was founded in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and enshrines five dragons. It is known as one of the most sacred places in Japan. The five dragons are enshrined at the shrine because the deity of the shrine took the form of a golden dragon god. At the center of the main shrine and to the east, west, west, north, south, and south, there are gold, red, white, blue, and black dragon deities, respectively. Each of them is said to bring different blessings to those who pay a visit to the shrine. There are no rules regarding the order of visitation, so please visit all five dragon deities. There are also dragons everywhere in the shrine, so please pay attention to every corner of the shrine. You can also get power from a hand-watering basin filled with the sacred water called “water of the white dragon, “Nade Ryu” (touching the dragon), and Ginkgo Sacred Tree. If you want to get strong luck, why don’t you go there?

Address	3-7-4 Tanashi-cho, Nishi-Tokyo City, Tokyo
Access	6 min. walk from the Fujimibashi bus stop, 8 min. from JR Musashi Sakai Sta. This station is 16 min. from JR Tachikawa Sta. the closest station to Tachikawa Washington Hotel.
URL	https://tanashijinja.or.jp/